


Karma Is Not Miraculous

by SleepingMoon86



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale, Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Crossover, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-30
Updated: 2019-11-06
Packaged: 2020-09-30 22:30:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20454596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SleepingMoon86/pseuds/SleepingMoon86
Summary: Perishing in the Final Battle alongside the dreaded Shikon Jewel, Higurashi Kagome had been almost expecting a tranquil afterlife. However, what she got instead was neither peaceful or quiet: being reincarnated as Marinette, the protagonist of her little brother's favorite TV show 'Miraculous: The Adventures of Ladybug and Chat Noir'. Left with no choice, she must (reluctantly) become a superhero and find out why this is happening.  Yeah, this is definitely not her idea of 'fun'. Far from it, actually.Marinette-is-Kagome. Adrien x Kagome.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> With the exception of the plot and the original characters that are depicted in the story, the author makes absolutely no profit off of this work of fan fiction, and no copyright infringement is intended on the franchise of Inuyasha and Ouke no Monshou that rightfully belong to its owners Rumiko Takahashi and Thomas Astruc, respectively.

Wide bluebell eyes stared impatiently at the ladybug-shaped clock on the wall, the tiny child known as Marinette Dupain-Cheng anxiously waiting for her first day of kindergarten to end. She had lost interest in today's last activity, where Mrs. Bisset would read a story to the class and reenact the characters in different voices before the bell rang. To be fair Marinette decided to stay quiet because she already knew what was going to happen once the three bears returned to their home from a walk around the forest.

In fact, in a different lifetime where Marinette had been known as a teenager named Kagome Higurashi, there were fairy tales that weren't as nice nor held a moral lesson like the one Mrs. Bisset was telling. But she couldn't even say _that_ because Kagome was still learning how to speak again except in a completely different language than Japanese: French. And truthfully if she were to tell someone, especially an adult, that she had been reincarnated after decimating a dangerous artifact in the midst of a bloody battle, two things would happen. The adults would applaud 'Marinette' for having such a wild imagination or contact her 'parents' with concerns about her wellbeing. The 'parents' being Tom and Sabine Dupaine, the owners of a popular bakery in Paris' 21st _arrondissment_.

Please bear in mind that Kagome feels no ill will towards this couple' in fact, they were incredibly sweet and made her feel...happy. But this place, this strange world where she had been thrown into after wishing the Shikon Jewel to disappear and then presumably died...it wasn't home. It wasn't the Sunset Shrine. Kagome wanted to go _home_. She wanted to help cook dinner with her mother and talk about how difficult math had become in her second year of high school. She wanted to listen to Grandpa's (silly) ancient remedies while Buyo slept in her lap. Heck, she even wanted to play video games with her annoying little brother and watch a superhero show he'd been enjoying since she last saw him in the modern era.

_Souta...are you all right? What about Mama, what about Grandpa?_ Frustrated tears began to blur Marinette's vision. _It's not fair. I fought alongside my friends to save the world from a power hungry spider demon, removed any chance of the Shikon Jewel from being used and create more conflict...for what? To be born again without getting a chance to say good-bye? It's not fair. IT'S NOT FAIR! _Before she even realized what's happened, Marinette began to cry.

She cried because she missed her real family. She cried because she was forced to learn how to walk, to speak, and how to write all over again. She cried because she was scared of being all alone in a world she didn't recognize. What was she supposed to do? What _could_ she do, in her condition? She didn't know. How was she supposed to know?!

Unbeknownst to the young girl, Mrs. Bisset's observant assistant Ms. Couture scooped up Marinette in her arms as soon as she saw the signs and tried to calm her down on the other side of the room, whispering comforting words into the child's ears. But when they had no effect on the pigtailed child, Ms. Couture left it to a worried Mr. Dupain as he came to pick up his daughter and bring her back to the bakery.

Since their humble little business was at the height of the afternoon rush Mr. Dupain reluctantly left Marinette in the living room with crayons and a drawing pad, but promised to check on her whenever he could. The only response this heartbroken man received was a sniffle and a slight nod from his precious Macaron. Time passed slowly, yet with each stroke of the crayon, Kagome felt more clarity in her weary soul than she had felt in a long, long time.

"Marinette?"

The child looked up from the picture she'd been sketching - a pretty lady in a pretty gown she'd seen during movie night with her 'family' - and blinked listlessly at the worried parents.

"Yes, Mommy?" Kagome felt bile rise in the back of her throat when the words unintentionally left her mouth. Sabine...this woman...this wasn't her mother. Not _Kaa-san_.

Sabine smiled, her short dark blue tresses caressing Marinette's cheek as she hugged her daughter tightly. "The school called me today. Your teacher said you got upset in the middle of story-time. What happened honey? Was the story too scary for you?" Warm, slanted eyes looked peeked over the child's shoulder and towards her husband. "Goldilocks might seem a little scary, but she really wasn't. She was just...being rude, that's all! The bears -"

"...Home."

"Hm? What was that, pumpkin?" Sabine asked.

"I don't...want to be here. I wanna go home."

"Home? Sweetheart you are -"

"I'M NOT!"

"Marinette? Mari, honey, what's wrong? Talk to Papa!"

Mr. Dupain was at a loss what to do for his distressed little family, so he did what he thought would turn any frown upside down if a homemade dessert didn't: a big hug that would engulf his lovely Sabine and little Macaron. An embrace that silently promised protection from any harm. But even though Marinette had gradually calmed down enough to go to bed that following evening...she didn't leave the house without a sketchbook and small box of crayons.

From this day forward, Kagome realized she may not never come home and she would either overcome it—or break.


	2. Chapter One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With the exception of the plot and the original characters that are depicted in the story, the author makes absolutely no profit off of this work of fan fiction, and no copyright infringement is intended on the franchise of Inuyasha and Miraculous Ladybug that rightfully belong to its owners Rumiko Takahashi and Thomas Astruc, respectively.
> 
> I'd like to give a shout-out to SunstarWriter,Yuni_K_chan24, and the guests who took the time to comment, left kudos, and bookmarked this series! :)
> 
> So without further ado, let the show begin!

All Adrien Agreste wanted to do was learn. No, he wasn't talking about being personally tutored by his father's secretary Nathalie or partaking in afternoon fencing practice. The only son of the fashion mogul Gabriel Agreste wanted to go to a public school, like a normal kid. He wanted to make friends, do something besides modeling or those darned Chinese lessons. And don't get him started on the private piano recitals too!

Given to the great lengths he went through just to sneak inside a public school as a 'new' student, much to the dismay of both Nathalie and his bodyguard, Gabriel reluctantly granted Adrien permission to go into the outside world. But being allowed out of the house and from his watchful eye didn't come without a compromise: he would be dropped off and picked up from school.

Nathalie would take care of arranging his new schedule with the photoshoots and Adrien's other 'extracurricular' activities. But the blonde-haired male was fine with all of that, as long as he could at least do one thing that would be considered 'normal'.

_This is it, my chance to show my father that he can trust me to be on my own. I can do this! _ Adrien thought as he stepped out of the car, nodding to the Nathalie as she told him his schedule once the bell struck three o'clock this afternoon. Fencing lessons, then more practice on the piano. The Chopin piece he played for his father last week wasn't impressive.

"Also, have a good first day of school. Keep your phone on in case there are any changes to the agenda." Nathalie managed to say to the fashion model with a straight face as the window rolled up and the car drove off. Adrien felt the breath he had been holding behind a sunny grin, turning his attention to the imposing building. Green orbs widened slightly when he felt something wiggle inside of his shirt pocket, followed by hearing a tiny and irritated voice.

"Kid, do you have any more camembert? I'm starving!"

Adrien froze. He looked left and then right, making absolutely certain no one was around before he pulled back his open shirt. Inside of a poorly stitched pocket was a tiny cat. If it could be classified as a feline since it was capable of human speech.

"You already had some cheese this morning when we were at home! You'll have to wait until lunchtime, okay? Today's my first day of school!"

"I thought the whole reason we came here an hour early was so I could have cheese!" The little creature cried out. "I'll be stuck in a bag all day and bored out of my mind! What did I do deserve such abuse?!"

The green-eyed model counted ten to one so as to keep himself from losing his composure in public and having any passerby think the son of Gabriel Agreste has gone completely bonkers. _How did this even happen?_Adrien thought with a small frown, walking up the steps towards the school's main entrance. _Can he even grant superpowers like he said he would? _

This miniature, sassy talking version of a cat is named Plagg. He is a kwami, a powerful deity of destruction who resides in a ring called the Cat Miraculous. A silver ring that Adrien currently wore on his right hand.

How did he cross paths with this kwami? Well, the shortened version of the story is this: when Adrien snuck out of the house to attend the first day of another public school, he got caught by Nathalie and Gorilla. Just when they pulled him into the car and drove him home though, he spotted an old man dropping his bag of groceries into the ground.

He wouldn't have felt right if he just let the man be to pick up his fallen groceries, so while the car was stationary at a light, Adrien jumped out and rushed over to help. The man, who called himself Mr. Wang, was happy that Adrien helped him. And to show his thanks and appreciation, the older male presented a small, hexagonal box for the blond model to take. Hearing Nathalie coming behind him, Adrien kindly and, rather quickly, accepted the gift - though he told Mr. Wang there was no need to give him something when he just wanted to do the right thing.

And when he opened the box a few days later, that's how he became acquainted with his kwami, Plagg.

According to Plagg, he was chosen by the Great Guardian to use the Miraculous' powers to fight evil. But he can't do it all alone; destruction only causes more chaos and strife. He needed a partner who can restore and bring happiness: the wielder of the Ladybug Miraculous. Adrien might have gotten his Miraculous first, but that didn't mean anything unless his partner would be by his side.

In other words, it would be a waiting game.

Ever since he opened the box and had been waiting, the wait made Adrien both anxious and curious. When and where would he meet his partner? What will they be like and will be able to get along with them? So many questions yet so few answers.

He sighed and started walking into the building, hoping to at least get familiar with his new surroundings, and hopefully, a new start in his somewhat boring life.

* * *

Collège Françoise Dupont. On the cover of a brand new student handbook it seemed like an ordinary high school that just happened to have an exclusive, designing class geared towards students who want to have a career in Paris' cutthroat fashion industry. For fifteen-year-old Marinette, she really wished her father hadn't taken every word she said so seriously. Yes it would be nice to have your own brand, and people might like the style of said product, but as a career path? Today was her first day as a freshman, she still had plenty of time to think about what she wanted to do in the future! He didn't have to go through all of the trouble to sign her up and present it as a surprise!

_Seriously, it's almost as bad as the time Grandpa had given me that shriveled kappa hand for my last birthday because he thought it would give me good luck. Least Buyo was able to enjoy it._ Marinette snickered at the old memory as sadness briefly flitted across her face. Blinking, the pigtailed teen slapped her face with both hands and stared at her reflection in the mirror._C'mon, get a grip! Think about today as a new beginning! You're gonna finally learn something different instead of being bored to tears on learning your multiplication table sets again! Okay, maybe that was an exaggeration but still! Math has never been my strong suit. I just hope it'll be easier for me in this importantly...I want to try and be a normal teenage girl. I still need to find a way to go home, if there is even one. I still don't know where I am-_

"Marinette! Are you almost ready? Come downstairs and have some breakfast or you'll be late!"

The young Parisian squeaked in surprise, though she really shouldn't since Sabine, bless this sweet woman, had zero tolerance for tardiness or skipping meals. Given to the fact that Marinette really did not want to make her mother upset so early in the morning, she hastily replied that she'll be down momentarily and grabbed her stuff before heading downstairs.

Although she still had a lot to learn regarding the inner workings of fashion that did just include simple color coordination, fabrics, and what was deemed 'in' during the four seasons, Marinette could say she is proud of how her summer project turned out: a brand, handmade new outfit inspired by an article on Tokyo street fashion.

Well, almost, since the black turtleneck dress had been altered to be sleeveless. The primary colors of this ensemble were the former, and yellow. The aforementioned garment included a leather belt with a shiny buckle, a tweed jacket, a pair of Mary Janes that were a lucky find at a thrift store, and yellow socks. She decided to include the black beret that was rarely worn ...well, just because. Nothing wrong with that, right?

Sabine smiled and wished her daughter to have a good day. Tom voiced her exact thoughts, except this time he handed his daughter a box of homemade treats to share with her class. Marinette grinned sheepishly.

"Thanks, you two! I'll see you later!" Just when she was about to walk out, though, her father suddenly mentioned something she definitely was better not knowing. Be sure to say hello to Chloe and try to get along this year. Marinette felt both a shudder of revulsion and an irritated groan rumble in the back of her throat.

"But Dad-"

"Please, honey, for me? I know things haven't been the same between the two of you since seventh grade, but could you try? For us? We both know you miss having her around!"

_Not really_. Marinette thought behind a forced grin as she promised them and bolted out of the door, only to come back inside to quickly grab her purse that she left on the counter. _If it were possible, I can definitely do without having Chloe again in my class this year! _

Chloe Bourgeois. A 'charming' blonde-haired teen whose father just happened to be the mayor and the primary example of a stereotypical, obscenely wealthy popular girl. She has been in all of Marinette's classes since the third grade, and she never ceased to make the latter want to bash her head against the wall over and over at her self-absorbed attitude.

But while Chloe has become the driving force of Marinette's slight loss of sanity, the artist was also aware that she acted like this due to the neglect of her parents. Chloe's mother constantly traveled all over the world as a fashion critic, and all her father did was to try to buy her love with expensive gifts while he worked long hours in his office.

When Marinette decided to be a good Samaritan and invite Chloe over after their fourth grade teacher had dismissed them for the day, that had been the beginning of their 'friendship', if it could even be called that. They bonded over cookies and sketch pads, where Chloe was encouraged by the Dupain-Chengs to pursue fashion designing after discovering it helped ease some of the loneliness she felt in her hotel room. Heck, she even invited Marinette over so she could be used a mannequin to see how her newest creations turned out.

Flash forward to the present: Chloe was determined to be a world renowned fashion designer with her 'Queen Bee' brand and prove to her mother that she is the best. Her relationship with her father had improved slightly, with the mayor trying to spend more time with his daughter when he had an opening in his schedule. This interference was thanks to Marinette's own parents, who had been told by their daughter about her friend's home life.

_Chloe's definitely come a long way since I met her, _Marinette hummed as she waited by the street for the crosswalk sign to turn green. _Snide comments and still being called her biggest rival when I really have no interest in pursuing fashion designing? I can handle that. Dropping by my house unexpectedly for a few hours when no one else is looking over her shoulder? No problem. But please, for all that is holy in the world, no more gossiping about boys! If I hear her say one more thing about a cute guy she just so happened to meet through her dad, I'll throw myself right off of the balcony!_

Okay, so maybe the Parisian teen was exaggerating just a tiny bit, though in all seriousness, she really couldn't handle hearing Chloe constantly gossiping about trending social media topics or which boy she should pursue. No, that isn't Marinette saying her old 'friend' is ...loose by any means. She just wore her heart on her sleeve, that's all!

Marinette released a heavy sigh, shaking her head lightly as she made the journey to Collège Françoise Dupont, enjoying the various sounds the bustling city had to offer. Some weren't as pleasant as the rest but still made her walk enjoyable. _I guess one thing that I can be thankful for when it comes to this rebirth is experiencing and seeing new things I probably wouldn't have been able to see just on my own. Granted, I could have at a price, but doing it free of charge is always the better choice._She giggled. No matter the situation, something's going to come out of it - whether it's good or bad.

As she got close to an alleyway ducked off between two buildings - a coffee shop and the electronics store that opened a few months ago -Marinette heard voices - some young and one older - and asked the universe 'why today?' as she pressed her back against the wall, straining her ears to listen to what was being said. In an instant she could tell what was going on.

Taunting. Eerily similar to how she used to get bullied by this one mean kid in elementary school.

Peering around the corner saw a group of older kids, at least by a few years or so, huddled around someone on the ground - an older man who was trying to defend himself as they taunted him into handing over his wallet. When he kept refusing, they continued to laugh at him, spewing derogatory names that shocked, appalled, and angered Marinette. Even in this new life there were still people who had the audacity to show disrespect towards their elders.

What happened to common courtesy? Was the moral decline in this world just as bad as her old home?

Heart pounding and eyes darting from the dark alleyway back to the tiny hands of her watch, the teen closed her eyes. _I can't believe I'm actually doing this. Sabine, Tom, I hope you can forgive your daughter for being recklessly impulsive! _Calmly setting the box down onto the street, Marinette pulled out a device from her purse and pressed a few buttons. Once she steeled her nerves, the artist marched in front of the alleyway's entrance.

"Lay off! Don't you guys have anything better else to do than bully someone for money? If you're that bored and short-changed, how about, I don't know, getting a job?"

Their presumed leader - a tall guy spiky blue hair and wearing a leather jacket-scoffed. "Beat it, kid. Let the grown-ups handle...business, and no one needs to get hurt on such a nice day, all right?" He licked his chapped lips, eyes trailing down Marinette's petite frame.

"Aw, look at the little girl trying to be a superhero!" One of the boys taunted, hovering over her like a buzzard ready to swoop in. "Ain't she the cutest little thing?" A girl cooed, pinching the teen's right cheek. "Maybe we'll have a little fun with you next~!"

Marinette slapped his hand away. "Get your hands off of me!" She stepped away from the pair and stood in front of the old man. Marinette gritted her teeth. _Seems like my goal to be on time for the first day of school has been officially declared invalid. _She turned her attention to the guy with blue spiky hair_. _

"Look pal, this whole scenario can go both ways. Either you leave, no one gets hurt or I have the police involved," She flipped her phone over, revealing 112 on its LED screen. "Bullying is one thing, but extortion? I'd say they'll book for you and your friends regardless of the minor-age clause." Marinette shrugged. "But what do I know? I'm just giving you an alternative. So...what will it be? Clock's ticking."

Marinette watched as those beady eyes of Needle Noggin - a moniker Marinette used to mentally refer to the gang's leader - widen at the cellphone's screen and he scoffed. He glanced at the other teens, jerking his head towards the open Parisian streets. "Let's go."

The others followed right after him. Thankfully.

She sighed in relief. "That was a close call," Marinette turned around and looked at the old man. "Are you alright sir? They didn't hurt you, did they?" She asked, extending a hand to help him off of the ground. Warm brown eyes looked up at her till he accepted the offer, carefully pulling himself up with his cane.

"Thank you very much, young lady. Who knows those younger would have done if it hadn't been for your bravery and quick thinking."

"N-No problem! I just did what anyone else would've done sir-"

"Wang. My name is Mr. Wang."

Marinette gave Mr. Wang a sheepish smile. "W-Well, I'd better get going or else I'll be even more late for class! Uh, are you going to alright walking back home from here or-?"

"I'll be fine, thank you," The old man then raised a hand over the pockets of his khaki pants, blinking as he patted them. It was as if he were looking for something. "Since you went through all of the trouble to help me, I want to give you a small token of appreciation." Blue eyes widened to the size of dinner plates before Marinette's hands waved frantically in the air.

"It's okay, really! Just knowing that you're safe is more important than anything! Gah, I gotta get going! If you feel any pain go see the doctor right away, okay? Take care of yourself, Mr. Wang!" Throwing the man a sunny - if not shaky - grin, Marinette bursted out of the alleyway and grabbed her stuff, bolting down the street towards her new school.

Mr. Wang blinked, a soft and knowing smile dancing across his face before his attention fell upon a small hexagonal-shaped box resting in his hand. _Yes...there is no doubt about it. This child will be the one to bring the balance of the world back together. The new heir of the Ladybug Earrings._


	3. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With the exception of the plot and the original characters that are depicted in the story, the author makes absolutely no profit off of this work of fan fiction, and no copyright infringement is intended on the franchise of Inuyasha and Miraculous Ladybug that rightfully belong to its owners Rumiko Takahashi and Thomas Astruc, respectively.

Marinette rushed up the stairs and towards Ms. Bustier's French Literature class, hoping by some chance that she wouldn't get into any trouble. Sure enough she barely made it through the door when the final bell rang. The blue-haired teen sagged her shoulders in relief and glanced around the room. There were large windows on either side, one showing the courtyard and the landscape outside of her new school. Rows of thick tomes rested in the far back of the classroom, more than likely used for references. Whether the students would be allowed to use them or the books are only used for the teacher is to be a question Marinette might ask in the near future.

A chalkboard hung in front of the classroom, right behind a desk with a chair and computer. Four wooden desks with attached desks were on each side, the maximum capacity seemingly being two students. With its levelled floor blanketed by a scarlet-dyed carpet, Marinette would have thought the layout of this classroom was more similar to a university lecture hall than a high school classroom.

_Looks like the seats in the back are taken. There goes my chance to get a good spot. Definitely don't want to be in the first row. _The teen pouted, looking around to find a vacant seat when she heard a familiar voice called out to her in a condescending, bratty tone.

"You finally made it to class on time. I'd never thought I'd live to see this day, clumsy."

Marinette felt her eyebrow twitch. _It can't be...can it?_Turning around, the artist saw Chloe Bourgeois smirking like the cat had gotten a fat canary. Sabrina Raincomprix stood beside her, snickering behind a pink notebook. _I knew it. Who did I anger in my past life to deserve such punishment? On second thought, I'd rather not know. That's already along list to go through in such a short amount of time._She forced herself to smile pleasantly at her part-time frenemy.

"Glad to see you're in such good spirits today, Queen Bee! Have you gotten another hat from Gabriel Agreste's boutique or a new idea for your clothing line?"

Whether Chloe was oblivious to the sarcasm in her voice or decided to ignore it because she was too magnificent to be brought down by petty words, the mayor's daughter haughtily snorted.

"Well of course I would be! The one and only Adrien Agreste has transferred to our school!" The blonde exclaimed, calming herself down before addressing Marinette. "Anywho, I can't believe you were almost late on the first day. Did you forget to bring croissants for lunch again? Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous! I swear if it isn't croissants, then it'd be macrons-"

"Excuse me ladies, but I do believe class has started," Miss Bustier said, eyeing the two as she walked in with a brown leather briefcase. "Please find a seat, both of you." She instructed in a tone that broached no arguments and wanted to get the day started as quickly as possible for whatever reason. Chloe stuck her nose up in the air, grabbing a seat in the front row on the left side. Sabrina immediately followed suit.

Given to the fact that she did not want to start off the year by ticking off the teacher, Marinette complied quickly, rushing up the steps to plop next to a bespectacled girl with bronze skin and reddish-brown tresses in the second row on the right side. The sound must've startled her new seatmate as curious hazel eyes looked up from...a Majestia graphic novel?

_Oh my gosh, is that the latest issue?! I didn't it would be out already! _Marinette inwardly squealed, trying her best to pay attention to the teacher as she explained the syllabus that was being passed around but to no avail. She shook her head. _No stay focus, girl! I'll ask her about it when class is over...wait, won't I be spoiling myself if I find out what how Majestia got herself out of the situation in the previous issue?! Gah, why am I thinking too much?! _Narrowing her eyes, the artist became hyper focused on Ms. Bustier's lecture, taking down notes on what to expect on big projects, grading on research papers, etc. Marinette was actually impressed with herself as the thought about her favorite literary superhero didn't pop up in her mind again until the bell rang.

Ms. Bustier wished everyone to have a good day and looked forward to being their teacher this year. Once she left, the students got up from their seats, either to stretch, check their phones, or talk to their seatmates. Marinette opted for the latter as she tapped the bespectacled girl's shoulder with a small smile.

"Uh, hi!"

Hazel eyes immediately looked up from her book and zoomed in on dark blue ones with a raised brow. "Hi. What's up?"

Marinette nervously chuckled. "Well...I couldn't help but notice the comic you were reading and I was wondering how you liked it so far? I mean, you don't have to say anything if you don't spoil anything, which I totally understand as a fellow book reader -" Her rant was cut off by a chuckle from her seatmate.

"Chillax girl, no worries! I'm just glad that I won't be the only one who can appreciate the awesomeness that is Majestia for the rest of the school year!" The girl stretched out a hand. "My name's Alya Cesarie, future journalist extraordinaire! Nice to meet you…?"

"Marinette! I'm Marinette Dupain-Cheng!"

"Sweet! Did you get a look at the new kid we're getting in our class?" Marinette blinked, tilting her head to the side. "New kid?" she parroted until realization dawned onto the teen. "Oh, you mean the one Ms. Bustier mentioned earlier? Something about going into the wrong classroom, so he's supposed to be here shortly?" Alya nodded.

"Yeah, I guess it's kinda understandable since this school is pretty big. Heck, I'm lucky I got a map at the front office before I came here!" Alya shrugged her shoulders. "Let's just hope he'll get to the right class or else his whole schedule's gonna get all out of whack -"

"I doubt my Adrikins will have any trouble adjusting to school, since I'll be there to help him with anything he'll need!" Both of the girls almost jumped out of their seats when Chloe butted into their conversation, a smug smirk stretching across her face. "It's a blessing that his father has even considered sending him to this school instead of the others in this district!"

Marinette stared at the blonde-haired fashionista, feeling a tiny bit anxious at what was going through Chloe's mind right now and praying she is wrong this time. "I guess...you know this guy pretty well, Bee?" While the aforementioned person stuck her nose up in the air, lightening fast fingers were already tapping the keys of a slim phone. Blue eyes skimmed the results of what she punched in the search engine. _Agreste, Agreste...oh here we are. _Tapping on a link to the website of the local newspaper, Marinette skimmed through it. Alya seemed interested too since she leaned a bit to see the contents on her seatmate's phone.

Chloe seemed oblivious to what was happening in front of her as she continued to speak. "Of course I do, clumsy! Any self-respecting fashion designer would know that Adrien Agreste is the only son of Paris' fashion mogul, Gabriel Agreste -"

"An answer that was already given to me by the semi-trustworthy Internet," Marinette included with a cheeky smile, showing the surprised teen an opened tab on her phone. "You kinda spelled it out after I asked if you've been to this guy's boutique before class started, and you've always had such impeccable taste in clothing. But I wasn't too sure since it's normal for two people to have the same last name." She raised a hand and used it as a brace for her chin.

"So, is there anything else you know about 'Adrikins' besides being a rich, famous model? If that's all there is or has going for him, then I don't see why it's such a big deal for him to be in school. Maybe he just wants to be a normal kid and take a breather from whatever he does in his spare time." The semi-reclusive artist shrugged. "Then again, I don't know him as well as you do, so my opinion on the matter probably doesn't have any merit. Just throwing in my two francs, Bee."

Chloe gaped at her archrival and humphed. "You are ridiculous Marinette Dupain-Cheng, utterly ridiculous! As long as you know your place then all is well with me."

Marinette raised a brow. "My...place? What does that mean-"

Before she could finish questioning what Chloe had said, someone opened the classroom door, causing every student to get back in their seats on the pretense that their new teacher had arrived. Instead, a guy with brushed back blonde hair and bright green eyes poked his head in before walking inside. He looked...relieved? Marinette blinked. Is this the new kid Alya was talking about? The Adrien guy?

"Looks like I finally found the right classroom!"

Cue all eyes on the supposedly famous model and awkward silence. He smiled sheepishly and waved. "Uh...hello, everyone."

One of the guys in the front row - Nino Lahiffe, whom Marinette immediately recognized as a frequent customer at the bakery but hadn't had time to say 'hi' earlier - decided to break the ice. "No worries, dude it happens to all of us! Can't say I blame you though, Ms. Bustier was a scary lady!"

Adrien looked slightly terrified at Nino's words but Marinette shook her head. "Hey, hey, don't go making rumors that aren't true, Nino! Ms. Bustier seems like a nice, if not strict teacher! I've heard Ms. Menedeleiev is definitely not someone to be trifled with!"

Nino turned around in his seat, surprised at the sudden reply before he smiled happily. "Mari, my dudette! Didn't see ya there! How're the folks?"

"Oh they're fine, they've been wondering why you haven't been stopping by lately. Dad's starting to think his croissants have lost their super effective abilities on your taste buds!" Marinette averted her attention to a slightly stunned Adrien. "Don't mind Nino, he likes to tease people sometimes but it's all in good fun!"

Nino gasped dramatically. "You ratted me out, dudette!" He cried, placing a hand over his chest.

"All in the name of good and triumph over - "

"ADRIKINS!"

Chloe dashed down the stairs and enveloped the startled model in a bone-crushing hug. "Oh, it's so wonderful to have you here at our school! Don't worry, as the mayor's daughter and your friend I'll make sure you have an amazing school year Adrikins!"

"A-Ah...thank you Chloe," Adrien replied, showing obvious discomfort at being embraced by someone he apparently knows. "Can you let me go...you're squeezing me and...it's getting hard to breathe."

"Silly me," Chloe pulled away but quickly grabbed the male's hand, leading him up the stairs and to where she sat. "Sabrina! Let my Adrien sit where you're sitting."

_My Adrien?_

Both Marinette and Adrien thought, the former eyeing the model while Chloe argued with her sidekick. Alya shook her head and sighed, mumbling something along the lines of 'Great, if things weren't rowdy enough with just the two of them.'

The reincarnated priestess gave a slight chuckle before something felt...off. She started to put it off as though someone was staring, but Marinette continued to feel it even after looking around and seeing no one was looking at her. _I didn't do something stupid - as far as I'm aware - so what is this feeling? Don't tell me...! _A quiet yelp came from Marinette, drawing attention from both her new friend and the new kid.

"You okay girl?" Alya asked, pushing her glasses up with a single digit.

"M-Mhm! Sorry, I just...uh...remembered something that's all!" The brunette didn't question her seatmate any further, seeing as there was no point in asking her anything else. Adrien, however, couldn't take his focus off of the twin-tailed teen even as a grumpy-looking teacher came in to start the class' second period.

* * *

"Do you think they will be up for it, Master?"

"I'm positive, Wayzz. I only got it wrong once. It won't happen again, at least I hope not." Mr. Wang - whose true name is actually Fu, the current Guardian of the Miraculous Box - said as he sealed the aforementioned receptacle back inside a secret compartment of the phonograph. Wayzz, the only other resident of the massage salon and the kwami of protection, looked at the aging human in concern.

"For the sake of the world, I hope you are right Master."

* * *

Marinette collapsed onto the bed face first with a relieved sigh. The first day of school had come to a close and the teachers were already handing out assignments. Thankfully tonight's workload would be light, just filling out some worksheets that tell more about the student for the teachers, and reading three chapters from Charles Perrault's _Sleeping Beauty_. Normally she would shy away from fairy tales since they still carry a bitter taste in her mouth even after being reborn...but if that's what she has to do to get a good grade, she'll definitely take it over solving chemistry problems any day of the week.

_I might've gotten stuck with Chloe and Sabrina again for homeroom this year, I'll at least have another friend to talk to! _The teen smiled widely at the idea of hanging out with Alya and bonding over graphic novels when the bakery wasn't so busy. _Then there's that Adrien guy….he seems...okay, maybe a bit shy? Socially awkward? _Marinette frowned, shaking her head. _What am I thinking? I don't have time for boys! I'm a high school freshman for crying out loud! For all I know, he could be just as bad as Chloe since they know each through their parents! It couldn't hurt to give him a chance...would it?_The artist groaned, rolling onto her stomach. _Stupid hormones. Going through puberty again is gonna stink. _

Peeking up from the bamboo-patterned comforter, Marinette suddenly rose when her sharp eyes caught sight of a hexagonal object sitting near her computer monitor. What the? The teen climbed off of her bed and walked over to her desk._It's...a box? Where did this come from? It's not my whatever is inside of this box is emitting the same energy I sensed in the classroom. _Marinette cautiously stepped back, feeling anxiety bubble in the pit of her stomach._Should I take a risk and open it, or leave it closed in case there's something nasty inside? More importantly, _the teen glanced at the wooden trapdoor. _Would I even be able to protect Sabine and Tom? It's one thing to 'see' something dangerous, and another to rebuke it with holy energy. It wasn't a big deal in my previous life, but now? It could be dicey. _

Marinette blinked once, then twice before she made her decision._'I hope my intuition isn't wrong this time.' _Swallowing the lump in her throat she lifted the box from its perch the artist slowly opened the lacquer lid and to see...a pair of silver earrings?

A bright crimson light suddenly blinded her vision, causing Marinette to throw the box onto the ground and grab the nearest item to defend herself: a stapler. The teen raised it in front of her face, hoping that her blurry vision would return to normal quickly in case whatever was inside the box decided to attack! One can never be too careful after all!

Seconds passed till the light vanished, taking the shape of a small creature that...looked like a bug? A giant ladybug with blue eyes? What the heck?!

"Greetings, chosen wielder of the Creation Miraculous! My name's Tikki, pleased to meet you!"

Marinette's left eye twitched. _A bug. A bug-mouse is talking to me in fluent French and is saying something straight out of a magical girl anime._ Cue a throbbing headache start to form in the reincarnated priestess' mind that was much worse than the time she binge-watched the first ten episodes of an anime. **A lot worse**.

"Uh...chosen one? Like, in the movies?"

The creature chirped, floating over to a very confused artist. "With my help, you'll be able to become a fantastic Ladybug! "

"Wait...come again? Ladybug? Just what exactly are you talking about?" To be fair, Marinette had every right to be hesitant, after all she didn't think that in her new life she'd be basically reliving her former one - dealing with spirits and the like. So she kept quiet and eyed Tikki, taking a moment to herself before speaking. "While it is nice to meet you, Tikki, it would also be nice for you to elaborate more on this 'Ladybug' thing you mentioned."

"Oh no worries! That will be easy!"

Marinette remained silent for five straight minutes and allowed her slightly frazzled brain to comprehend what this...kwami, was saying. According to Tikki, kwamis were magical spirits that could only have been seen by certain gifted individuals. The purpose of the Miraculouses' creation was to form a pact with humans via enchanted jewelry and use their abilities for good, as well as keep the world's balance in order.

"So...let me if I'm understanding you correctly," Marinette said, keeping her gaze fixed on the little being who decided to perched it - herself? - on top of the computer monitor while the teen decided to sit in a faux leather chair. "I'm chosen to be your owner so I can fight against an evil force called an akuma-thingmaboo, and I'm the only one who can purify it. But before I can even do that, it's got to be captured? And what was the secret superpower?"

"It's called the Lucky Charm!" Tikki replied. "You need to use it wisely, because once it's been activated you'll only have five minutes before you change back to your civilian identity!"

"Right. Two questions: how would I know where the akuma is located, and is there more than one Miraculous? Actually, make that three questions. How can I tell if someone is an enemy or an ally?" Marinette's eyes narrowed ever so slightly when the kwami opened her mouth to speak, in which she held up a palm in the air. "I'm not signing up for this unless I know everything, Tikki. I don't like being lied to or blindly walking into something that might've been going on for thousands of years."

Tikki blinked. " 'Thousands of years'?" The befuddled kwami parroted. "How -"

"I don't know why but I can just ...sense it. You seem vibrant, almost lively for a being who has in a box for who knows how long but at the same time, your energy feels ancient, like it's been around a very long time." Marinette answered vaguely, turning her head to the side. "Even after you came out of that box, you were calm and patient as you explained everything to me. It's almost as if this isn't the first time that someone is trying to throw the world off kilter for whatever reason and a 'chosen' is selected. To me this scenario is practically screaming 'superhero origins'." The artist chuckled bitterly. "Definitely not the first time I've had a run-in with the supernatural either."

"Hm? What was that?"

"Nothing, nothing. Just thinking out loud." Marinette muttered, running a hand through her loosened hair. "So...will you be able to answer my questions, or am I going to have to play a guessing game on who is my enemy and who is my ally?" The reincarnated miko blinked at the kwami, taking the silence as an opportunity to take out the pigtails and make a low ponytail.. "Moreover, when am I gonna know when 'Ladybug' is going to have to save the day?"

Since her creation, Tikki had become familiar with the fear, awe, and utterly confused first impressions of humans whom the Great Guardian had chosen to be her owner. But this girl...she was so calm, asking the ancient spirit questions on how to be a superhero. Judging by the aghast look on her face too, as if she had been dreading something extraordinary would happen in an ordinary life.

"Tikki?"

"Uh, right, sorry about that!" Tikki cleared her throat. "Well, to answer your first question, the akuma usually possess an object that is of great value to the victim and that's where it power comes from! In regards to telling the difference between an akuma and Miraculous user, it'll depend on the experience truthfully! There are seven Miraculouses under the care of the Great Guardian -"

"The Great Guardian?"

"You'll come to meet him when the time is right, Marinette, no need to worry about that right now!" The tiny creature chripped, rising from her perch and floating towards the artist, startling her. "As I was saying, there are five other Miraculouses, but," Her cheerful expression melted into sorrow. "There are two which haven't been recovered in a long time. I fear that they will be used for evil intentions again. If we do not find them, then the world's balance will become more unhinged! That's why your role is important, Marinette."

"But I am going to do this alone?" Marinette frowned. "Taking on an akuma, capturing it, plus restoring the chaos it can cause...that's a bit much for one person, don't you think?" She wanted to ask the kwami more about the other Miraculouses and what their powers entailed...but she had a feeling that Tikki wouldn't be saying anything else right now. She had told the reincarnated priestess everything ...yet there was a part of her that couldn't shake off the feeling that something wasn't right here. Something...felt wrong. Like she knew what is happening and couldn't put her finger on it.

The blue-haired teen opened her mouth to speak when a beeping noise suddenly cut her off. Curious, Marinette grabbed her backpack and pulled out her phone. She raised an eyebrow. _Breaking news update? Huh?_Tapping on the app, she was suddenly taken to a live feed from Paris' primary news station.

"_We are coming to you live downtown were...um, someone...a woman...is causing havoc on the streets! It seems that whoever is touched by these feathers from her, they are spellbound by her dancing! Who is this person? Is it a criminal? Yes...we just got a message from the mayor's office! He advises everyone to stay in their homes and do not go outside until police clear the scene! Stay tuned for more updates!"_

True to the reporter's words, the camera zoomed in a person dressed in a leotard and ballet shoes, both dyed in the deepest shade of black whilst wearing a seductive smile on her face. The expression sent a chill down Marinette's spine as she stared at the screen._Is it just me...or why is that as soon as Tikki tells me about this stuff, a villain shows up to cause trouble? How is this normal?! I just wanna be able to enjoy my life without romance or supernatural stuff! _Crocodile tears mentally appeared in her mind._And off the possible outcomes that could have occurred, it just happens to be the magical girl route! Gah! _

The teen glanced to the side and saw Tikki hovering beside her with a small smile. "Sounds like it's time for Ladybug to enter the fray and save Paris, Marinette!"

"Even when there's a possibility that we might get apprehended by the police and be declared vigilantes?" Despite the slight hesitance in her words, Marinette was already kneeling to the ground to where the box had landed and plucked the earrings from its resting spot.

Tikki smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, everything will be okay!" The kwami said, watching in delight as her new owner put the Miraculous on. "Trust yourself and say 'spots on'."

"Uh...Spots on? Whoa, what's happening?! TIKKI!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It looks like Marinette is finally making her debut as Ladybug, but will everything turn out all right? More importantly will this reincarnated high school student figure out where exactly her second chance of life has brought her and why it looks so familiar? Stay tuned for the next episode of Karma Is Not Miraculous!


	4. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With the exception of the plot and the original characters that are depicted in the story, the author makes absolutely no profit off of this work of fan fiction, and no copyright infringement is intended on the franchise of Inuyasha and Miraculous Ladybug that rightfully belong to its owners Rumiko Takahashi and Thomas Astruc, respectively.  
Hello everyone, SleepingMoon86 here! I do apologize for keeping you waiting, I have been pretty busy since I posted the last chapter. Furthermore, I am actually participating in NaNoWrimo this year! For everyone who doesn't know what I am talking about NaNoWrimo it stands for National Novel Writing Month where writers from all over the world come together and try to write 50,000 words a month. I thought I would give it a try and see how much I can actually get done throughout the month of November.
> 
> So without further ado, let the show begin and wish me luck! :)

When the news of a diabolical villain had been broadcasted on the computer monitor in his room, Adrien was more than ready to take his first step as a superhero. Father was out of the house for work and his caretakers - Nathalie and Gorilla - believed he was studying for next week's Chinese lessons. The first day of school might've gone onto a somewhat rocky start but he managed to get through it with no problem!

If he kept his promise and left the campus at exactly three o'clock when Gorilla pulled up in his car, Father will definitely allow him to keep coming to school! He would actually be able to have a normal life. Or close to having a normal life if he were to be brutally honest.

Pulling up the music app on his phone, Adrien found a playlist of classical piano music and set it on the aforementioned instrument. Knowing that there weren't any security cameras in his room - he was pretty sure there was one outside of the door - , all of the pieces were in their proper place. Bright green orbs glanced to the side at a certain kwami munching on a wheel of stinky cheese near his gaming console and proclaimed three words that would kickstart his superhero debut.

"Plagg, Claws Out!"

The teen blissfully ignoring the surprised yelps from his fickle partner as Adrien allowed himself to be surrounded the power that was given to him to defend against the forces of evil. A tornado of green and black surrounded the Cat Miraculous owner upon saying the incantation, engulfing his body in power that has been passed down for centuries.

It was a little overwhelming, but it's nothing that he can't handle!

He was covered from head to toe in skin-tight, hexagonal patterned leather with intricate metal details. The gloves were sharp on the fingertips and the wedged, silver- toed boots were surprisingly comfortable. A golden bell hung from his neck, connected to a zipper in the front. On top of his head were a pair of inky cat ears and a film over the matching mask that made his eyes much darker. He even had a tail. Technically it was just a long belt but it was a freakin' tail.

Adrien looked down at his magical ring - now blackened with a green paw print on its face- and grinned. "Too cool!"

To say that the fashion model was impressed with his new costume would be a gross understatement. It was the epitome of awesome. No. The cat's meow. Definitely the purr-fect outfit for a feline like him.

"So what should I do for the basics Plagg?" Adrien asked, using his cat-like agility to get out of the window in his room without alerting anyone inside. He received a response inside his head. Clear as a bell yet unable to detect the source.

_"Firstly, go back to your room and let me finish my gooey-"_

**"Plagg."**

"_Okay, okay fine! Go to a high point and we'll go from there_." Adrian listened to what his partner said and climbed to the roof of a tall structure that had building of similar length beside it. Once there, Plagg spoke again.

_"Alright, so you're gonna need to work on your balance kid. Use your belt tail to make a tightrope and I want you to cross over it to the other building. Got it?_"

"Understood." Doing as he was told, the model prepared the tightrope and began practicing to cross. It was a trial and error, when he felt he tied it tight enough it turns out he didn't or when he assumed this would be easy considering his cat-like agility. To pass the momentary boredom Adrien decided on a codename that was positively purr-fect to his new role. Chat Noir, the coolest cat on the block

No, he was wrong.

When he finally got to making his way across, the hero heard a scream from above and quickly looked for the source of it.

"WATCH OUT!"

Something - or someone - was barreling right towards the surprised male. Chat Noir yowled as the sudden force knocked him off of the makeshift baton. The only thing that prevented the young man from getting a painful concussion or even broken bones was the invisible string that was connecting his body to what or who decided to - quite literally- drop in for a visit. He released a low hiss, eyes squinting from direct contact of the sunlight and the throbbing.

_Me-owch! What the heck-?!_

"W-What happ - oh my goodness are you alright?! I didn't hurt you did I?! Great. Just what I need to happen on the first day. An injured civilian!"

Chat Noir felt his heart thump once a silvery voice reached his ears. Well, it couldn't be helped since he was literally tangled up in...wire? Or was it string? Either way, it seems like the red strings of Fate were at work here. He tried to open his eyes again so as to identify the person who appeared out of nowhere.

He wasn't disappointed. No...rather, he was awestruck.

A girl- probably around his age or a little older than he - with dark hair and sky blue eyes were staring right back at him, though Chat Noir will admit that the long red ribbons that were dangling from either side of her head were equally as distracting. Must be a cat thing. After all, weren't felines like he attracted to objects that would give him a little fun -

"Uh, sorry about that. I had a...minor incident. If you could call it that." The sheepish laugh sounded like music to his ears. "Just give a minute to get us out of here. I hope you can land on your feet." Before Chat Noir had a chance to say anything, the weight of the mysterious masked girl vanished along with the string that was connecting them.

He yelped, instinctively somersaulting in the air, landing on the empty street with no trouble whatsoever. He even caught the baton. Well, almost, but at least it didn't hit him on the head. Not to mention the blonde-haired teen could finally get a good look at the person he bumped into.

Firstly, she was quite tiny in both stature and height, almost like a fairy. The difference between the fairies he had heard about and the one in front of him was that she wore a suit just like his. Or at least pretty close to it; a mix of black with red polka dots splattered across the lower half of her body, including both of her arms with the torso mimicking the opposite color scheme. Red and black polka dots. The aforementioned pattern was also reflected in the mask she wore, tied back with the ribbons he had seen. They were actually a lot longer than he had expected; reaching to her ankles to be precise.

In conclusion: she looked like a character right out of a Japanese magical girl anime. Question is, was this the owner of the Ladybug Miraculous Plagg had been talking about or an enemy?

The little fairy smiled a little as she rubbed the back of her head. "Well, at least I know for sure that cats definitely land on their feet! Okay, that was a lame joke. My bad. Um, again, sorry about...all of that. I'm sort of getting used to the ropes. But...who are you? Are the person that my...friend has talked… is literally talking about right now?" Chat Noir raised an eyebrow.

"Friend?" He parroted.

"Yeah. My friend won't tell me their name but apparently they've got a cheese addiction and are pretty lazy?"

Plagg took immediate offense to what the little fairy said, so it was safe to presume that this mysterious damsel was actually not a villain but someone like him. A Miraculous user. Chat Noir places a hand on the side of his pounding head and sighed, giving the young fairy a sheepish grin while trying very hard to ignore his kwami's snarling inside his head. "Well, your friend's words aren't too far off from the truth, m'lady."

_"Hey!"_ Plagg yelled. _"I'll have you know that I am NOT lazy! And loving cheese isn't a bad thing! Don't try to deny your own addiction, sugarcube!_

Chat Noir blinked. "Uh, I think the voice in my head just tried to defend himself with your friend's...love for sweets. Unless there's another reason he just said 'sugarcube'."

Bluebell orbs blinked once, then twice before the pigtailed girl giggled behind a gloved palm. "Well, at least we now know that neither of us is the enemy since our 'friends' clearly know each other. Mine doesn't seem very happy to be called by that. Now she's called your friend a stinky sock. I'm, er...Ladybug? Ladybug. Nice to meet you!" She extended her hand. Chat Noir gladly returned the gesture with a firm grip.

"I'm Chat Noir, the cat's meow! Looks like we're gonna be partners from now on, my dear fairy!"

Ladybug raised an eyebrow. "Fairy? That's a first. But before we get to know each other properly we need to find whoever is terrorizing Paris first before someone could get seriously hurt. I don't know if you've seen the live broadcast, it seems that the culprit is a dancer, or even a ballerina." The camaraderie, while enjoyable, had come to a close in favor of a serious regard to the current crisis.

Chat Noir nodded. "Yeah, I saw it too. I was going to see if I could try to find them at first but my kwami has other priorities in mind." His sharp hearing picked up something and glanced to the side. "How about we take this conversation to the rooftops, m'lady? We can share information while on the go, and keep out of sight." Ladybug followed his gaze and saw a few gawking civilians with their phones out in the open.

"You're right. Better to do that in case everyone mistakes us for the bad guys and call the cops on us. Think you're up for a little race, my dear feline?"

"Only if you are~!"

Sharing a smirk, the pair reattached their respective weapons onto their suits and scaled the walls. The power of their Miraculouses allowed them brief periods to define gravity at precarious angles before reaching their destination. Whether it was a blessing in disguise or a curse, everyone thought these superheroes were actually actors getting ready to shoot for a new action film in this particular area.

* * *

From an early age Simone Campbell knew she wanted to be a dancer. Her parents believed that it was fine and all to pursue it as a hobby, but an actual career? No. They wanted her to be a doctor or an engineer so long as she brought in enough income to take care of herself. But being whoever they wanted her to be wouldn't make her happy.

So she went through a rebellious stage. Instead of finalizing the pre-med school applications that were lovingly pushed onto her desk and signed up for a semester at Juilliard. Tuition wasn't cheap even on a scholarship, plus juggling a part-time job with classes. Yet Simone did it; despite all the numbing pressure she underwent, being ignored by her disappointed parents, the young woman became a stellar student with the opportunity to take her studies overseas.

And now, after everything I've done make it this far, that director has the nerve, the damned arrogance to say that I'm not talented enough! To have the audacity to declare his own granddaughter is more than 'perfect' to play the leading role! I have the looks, the talent, and the ability to overcome any challenge. If he thinks that he can just look away from true talent and shine the spotlight on some dimwitted pipsqueak who doesn't even show up on time for practice, he has another thing coming! These malicious thoughts bubbled in Black Swan's mind just as her lovely olive complexion had been shadowed by the emblem of a periwinkle butterfly mask. What followed immediately was a baritone voice ringing in her ears.

_ **"Black Swan, I have not forgotten your desire for revenge but do not forget that the ability to captivate your audience is only being promised to you so long as you keep your end of the bargain. Find the Ladybug and Cat Miraculous, and bring them back to me. Once you've done that, then you may use Paris as your own stage to enthrall the crowds with your dancing. Understand?"** _

Although she could hear the sympathy in her benefactor's tone it carried a subtle warning. Do not get too carried away or the deal is off. The source of her newfound powers - a feather shaped brooch that had belonged to her grandmother, the only person who ever believed in her - vibrated.

This wasn't the time to fool around. Simone - Black Swan - had a job to do.

Black Swan inhaled a deep breath, collecting herself before she addressed the voice she was hearing. "I understand Hawk Moth. Please everything to me. I'll retrieve the items you desire so much," From where she stood - on a street where her enchanted servants acted as a shield against the barricade of armed law enforcement officers. She smirked, raising her arms over her head and crossed one leg over the other.

"Come. Let us show the world that it is indeed a stage. One that is mine for the taking. Anyone who stands in the way of my spotlight will meet...a rather unfortunate end."

The group murmured in agreement and trudged forward, ignoring an officer who was ordering them to stand down or they would have to shoot. Black Swan inwardly chuckled._ There's no way they would actually fire a bullet at an innocent civilian who just happened to become one of my adoring fans. It'll be too easy to through these simpletons -_

"THAT'S ENOUGH!"

The villain's eyes widened in surprise and twisted her head around to find the source of the uncouth outburst. How dare someone tries to interrupt my debut on the stage! Who-?! Her words got caught in her throat when her gaze fell upon two people standing on the rooftop of an adjacent building. The one on the left was a girl in a juxtapose spotted suit with a swinging yo-yo in her hand, while the other strange on the right was in a get-up that practically screamed a street cat.

"Wha -" Black Swan's speech was cut off by the psychic link between herself and her benefactor opening up again. _H-Hawk Moth? What is going on -_

_ **"Those must be the fools chosen to wield the Ladybug and Cat Miraculous. It seems that instead of going through the trouble of finding them, they have come to you, Black Swan! Now is your chance to prove yourself worthy of carrying my power and return what is rightfully mine!"** _

* * *

Chat Noir honestly had no idea what to make of the current situation or how to deal with it. When he saw the person responsible for causing chaos on the Parisian streets, the blonde-haired male was more than ready to activate his secret superpower and call it a day. Maybe he could even get the little fairy's number too. But alas, she had stopped the grand scheme from happening.

According to Ladybug, when he activates his secret superpower Chat Noir would only have five minutes left before the transformation would be released and return to his civilian identity. She had been under the impression that he was already aware of his limitations because he had gotten his Miraculous before the fairy received hers.

Plagg had definitely forgotten to include that particular piece of information. Or purposely left it out unless he could be bribed for more stinky wheels of camembert cheese. Chat Noir gritted his teeth. When this fiasco was over, the model under the mask would definitely be cutting back on the magical creature's supply of food as punishment.

_W-What? You wouldn't dare! That's animal cruelty!_

Chat Noir was about to make a snarky comment when Ladybug brought him out of his reverie and pointed out something strange from their vantage point on the rooftop. She had to make this gesture just as quickly as taking a peek on the current dilemma so as to avoid being seen by any of the police officers down below. From what she could see, the civilians that were under this villain's spell each had a black feather attached to a certain area of their body. If she could throw them like a projectile and use it to command her victims, it might not be as easy as it appeared to get close. The akuma was supposed to be possessing an object that is precious to the victim. Question was: where is this item and how to get it?

For a superhero, she seemed a little...paranoid. If that's the right word for it. Cautious? Yeah, that's probably better.

He blinked as he watched the fairy - a little nickname he is starting to grow more fond of than addressing her in his mind than My Lady at the moment - stand up and look at him with a fierce and determined gaze.

"Time to get a closer look. Ready to introduce ourselves to the world, Mr. Feline?"

Chat Noir grinned and got to his feet as well. "Of course! Who wouldn't want to see Paris' finest cat in lol of his rugged glory?" He felt his ego get a small boost at seeing the little fairy roll her eyes. Try as she might to deny it, he could tell that she is starting to enjoy his puns. He personally found them hilarious but hey, everyone's different when it came to humor.

Ladybug nodded and turned away, calling out to the villain. "THAT'S ENOUGH! We won't allow you to continue this madness! Release the civilians and we can talk. There's no need to resort to violence."

Due to his heightened senses, Chat Noir could already tell that this ballerina was not going to comply. His bright green orbs widened when two jet black feathers shot through the air, heading right towards them. Without thinking he grabbed the collar of the fairy's costume and pulled her back, causing Ladybug to fall flat on her back. He ducked, narrowly avoiding being touched by those enchanted feathers.

Ladybug grunted in pain. "Not exactly the reaction I was hoping but at least we've got her attention. We just need to figure out how to get close enough to her."

"I'll distract her while you figure out a way to get close."

"But will that work? Are you sure that-" Ladybug stated, being cut off when a leather finger was placed on her lips by her partner. Chat Noir flashed her a charming smile before going to the roof's edge, looking back at her still smiling. "Don't worry so much,_ ma petite fee_. This will be nothing for a feline like myself."

The masked girl wanted to say something but stopped herself when she saw the determined look in his eyes. She couldn't stop him, even though she really wanted to. Chat was putting himself in harm's way despite them only meeting today. Ladybug nodded.

"All right just...be careful." Chat Noir nodded and took off. He would use himself as a decoy, taunting the villain and her hostages whilst trying to avoid the police. If it would allow him to help his fairy out, he would gladly do it again and again.

* * *

While her furry companion was distracting the villainess, Ladybug began thinking of how she would be able to get close enough and figure out where the akuma was hiding till something caught her eye.

Lying precariously on the sidewalk was a large music player, more than likely dropped by a terrified passerby. If she could use that as a distraction and possibly snap the spell Black Swan over the captured civilians...then she'd be able to get close in all of the chaos if she attacked from behind!

Grinning triumphantly, Ladybug used her yoyo to discreetly grab the item - surprisingly it would shorten or extend however she wanted to - and pull it onto the rooftop. Fiddling with some of the buttons and even finding a handheld controller that went with it, the heroine had a plan.

Once everything was in place, Ladybug out some distance between her and the music device resting on the ledge before she turned it on, ducking behind an AC unit. To say that the sound waves coming from its speakers produced an awfully loud noise to bust a few eardrums would be a slight exaggeration, but more than enough to get Black Swan's attention. Clenching both sides of her head with an anguished expression, the villain screamed at her entourage to do something, anything, to silence such horrid music.

However since no one had seen what happened just minutes ago thanks to Chat Noir being a diversion, Black Swan could only deduce it was coming from the rooftop where the superheroes had emerged from and ordered the enchanted civilians to get rid of it.

"If the spotted girl is up there, capture and bring that brat to me so I can take her Miraculous!"

Thankfully Ladybug had predicted the ballerina might give this command and already had the yoyo still tied to the handle of the music player. Reeling it back towards the middle of the roof, she waited patiently until she heard the rooftop door open and the groaning of Black Swan's slaves.

Now it was time to strike.

Quickly unraveling the yoyo from the music box, Ladybug dashed towards the other side of the roof's edge and swan-dived towards Black Swan. There a pocket of space just enough for her to close the distance and tackle the villain from behind.

The villain screeched, failing her lithe frame and digging her nails into Ladybug's forearm in an attempt to loosen the grip. But the spotted heroine persisted. Blue eyes blinked her mind suddenly caught the presence of a familiar energy. Maybe it was similar...yet it was much darker. Foul and evil.

It's close by. So that must mean the akuma is...hm? Ladybug looked over Black Swan's shoulder and saw a feather-shaped brooch glowing a dark periwinkle. Ladybug grinned triumphantly. Bingo! Narrowly avoiding being elbowed in the face, the Miraculous user extended an arm and plucked the jewelry piece off of the ballerina's torso.

"NO!"

Pushing herself off Black Swan's back, Ladybug performed a backwards flip and held up the brooch. She felt a twinge of sympathy for the young woman as Tikki had explained an akuma would inhabit an item of personal value to its victim. Hopefully, if she did remember what happened, the villain behind the mask would forgive Ladybug.

_I'm sorry._

With a deep breath she tightly squeezed the brooch between her fingers until it split in half. Emerging from it was an inky butterfly, flapping its wings so as to escape and return to where it came from and create more akuma. Not on my watch. Swinging her yoyo with narrowed eyes, Ladybug flung it towards the butterfly and watched as the yoyo split in half. The scene itself was almost acting like a PokeBall being thrown to capture a wild Pokemon, except it was to capture a nasty little critter.

Conclusion: a successful catch. Ladybug grinned triumphantly as she reeled the yoyo back to her. Listening to Tikki on what she ought to do next, she ran a finger up the middle and watched in fascination as a pretty white butterfly emerged, taking off into the skies. Purification and stopping an evil villain from terrorizing Paris? Done and -

"FREEZE!"

Ladybug felt her heart drop into the pit of her stomach. Crap. Glancing over her shoulder she saw the police force that were almost enslaved by Black Swan had their weapons trained on her. _Tikki, I think this is a good time to give these guys the slip!_

_But Marinette you still have to use the -_

_I think it'll be better to use whatever I need to use to fix this mess in a place that's somewhat safer!_ The spotted heroine yelped in shock when the sound of gun going off rang out in the streets. _Yeah, we definitely gotta go!_ Ladybug turned around to find Chat Noir, balanced on top of a street lamp and wearing a shocked expression. Looks like he wasn't expecting this kind of reaction either!

"PUT YOUR HANDS UP WHERE I CAN SEE THEM!"

Biting her bottom lip, Ladybug threw her yoyo towards a chimney and yanked on the string, allowing it to reel her off of the streets and onto the rooftop. She looked back at her leather-clad companion.

"C'mon! Hurry!"

Her voice must have brought him back to reality as he quickly leaped off his perch, running across the rooftops in order to catch up. Once he was close enough, Ladybug started running again. They barreled through the skies, utilizing their agility and flexibility to evade being captured or at the very least try to lose the cops.

"I can't believe it!" Chat Noir yelled over the wind. "We went through all of the trouble to save them and they try to shoot us? They didn't get you, right? You're okay?" Worried green orbs met hers before Ladybug eased his anxiety with a shake of her head.

"No, but it was a close call. Can't say I blame them for how they reacted. We just appeared out of nowhere just like that villian did. They've probably leaped to the conclusion that we're the bad guys too or vigilantes trying to take the law into their own hands. Everyone fears what they don't understand. Let's just hope that someday the people of Paris won't be scared of us and see that were trying to help them out."

"And we didn't just now?!"

"These things take time Chat Noir. I don't anything any superhero had gotten instant admirers from their very first fight against a villian. Wait, hold on. Let's stop here for a sec." Ladybug skidded to a halt.

The pair had been running for at least fifteen to twenty minutes. If they had gotten lucky, they might have lost their pursuers already. Ladybug couldn't hear the telltale signs of a police siren right now, so now was the perfect time to complete the task Tikki wanted to her to prior to being cornered by the police.

"Something wrong, little fairy? Are you feline okay?" Ladybug rolled her eyes at Chat Noir's joke. As much as she appreciated him trying to ease the tension with a pretty bad cat pun, she didn't want to be distracted right at the moment. She held up the yoyo.

"Yeah just...give me five minutes. My...friend says there's a way to fix the damage that villian's caused but since I didn't use my secret superpower, there's another way I need to activate it. Think you can handle it?"

"Absolutely purr-incess!"

"Chat."

"Right, right. Shutting up now."

Once the boy's lips were clamped shut his little companion closed her eyes. The girl behind the spotted mask tuned out the rest of the world around her and listened closely to the kwami's instructions. She softly murmured softly under her breath.

"_By the ancient power of my Miraculous,_

_I bring balance to destruction._

_By the blessing of the ancient spirit,_

_I protect those from evil._

_Under your guidance, please allow me to fix what has been undone,_

_Right from wrong!_"

Throwing her yoyo up in the air, the awestruck heroes watched as a whirlwind of ladybugs flew across the city. "Wow." Chat Noir whispered. "It's...It's really miraculous, isn't it?"

Ladybug could only nodded. Yeah...it was definitely that.

* * *

By the time Marinette had returned to the humble little bakery, it was almost dinner time with both Tom and Sabine were fretting over the young girl once her feet were in the door. When they had gone to check on her after seeing the news about a strange terrorist causing trouble, she wasn't in her room. They've been worried sick ever since and almost called the police if Sabine hadn't asked her husband to wait just a little longer before going to such drastic measures. The reincarnated priestess felt her heart twinge at their genuine concern. Honestly she hadn't meant to cause such worry, much less deserve it.

After all...even though she had been reborn into this world with her past memories still intact, as a completely different person...Marinette didn't feel like she belonged here. Under this roof with these wonderful people, the brand new school, and Paris itself. Everything felt wrong.

But for their sake, she'll keep playing the role of their absent-minded daughter.

She apologized to them, holding up a bag of baked goods that served as the fulcrum of her excuse. Sabine had noticed a shortage of certain ingredients and made a note to get them later today. But due to the akuma attack, it didn't happen. Marinette decided to go ahead and get them against her better judgment, because she knew if they weren't picked up today then the couple would be behind in their order to bake cupcakes for a charity gala.

Fortunately the alleyway where Ladybug had returned to being a simple girl was right near the supplies store. Another plus was that she already had her cell phone tucked in a back pocket, so she used to wallet attached to it to purchase the necessary items.

Despite her 'best intentions', Marinette was still scolded and sent up to her room until dinner was ready. If she were to scare them like that again, Tom would be more than happy to confiscate her art supplies for an entire month plus come straight home as soon as school was over. Her punishment would also include any trips to the crafts store.

Not wanting to push any more of the woman's buttons, the dark-haired teen hurried up the stairs and shut the trap door behind her.

_Unfortunately for them, I'll probably be doing a lot more recklessly impulsive things now that I'm going to be protecting Paris from evil butterflies as Ladybug,_ Marinette thought as she flopped onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling. _Today was definitely a close call...if it hadn't been Chat Noir volunteering himself as bait, taking down that villain would've been harder. I hope he got home safely. When we went our separate ways after using the Lucky Charm, he asked if he would have the honor of walking me halfway home before he took off. Yeah, definitely not happening. I like my privacy, thank you very much_. She blinked. _Come to think of it...that alternative outcome sounds...familiar. Even fighting against the akuma. But...where have I heard of it? Or did I see it somewhere in my past life?_

As she pondered these thoughts in silence, Tikki smiled down at the young girl. As a tiny being who has looked after every single Ladybug since the very beginning, she had come to see many extraordinary individuals. Each one was different than the last, they were nonetheless dear to the kwami's heart. That also included the human named Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

Yet...why did she acts so mature for age, so on edge whenever she met someone new? Or how she could sense the spiritual energies of other kwamis? Had something happened before they met? Or is it just a habit?

Tikki hoped to learn more about her new partner, and for the said person to learn that it's okay to open up to other people. She doesn't have to close herself off from the whole world or think everyone is out to get here...even though technically that is the case at the moment, with the police trying to chase after Ladybug once the victim had been released from the akuma's negative influence. Moreover, she had told Marinette to be more cautious in using her 'gift'.

They had gotten lucky today, but next time it may not be that easy to where the Lucky Charm wasn't used to defeat an akuma.

_Oh well, we'll just have to worry about that later,_ the kwami thought as she nibbled on a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie that been snuck into the room by yours truly. Let's just focus on today and worry about tomorrow. _For some reason...I think things would have turned out much differently. I wonder why?_

**Author's Note:**

> Please send feedback or thoughts on the story in the form of a review. Thank you!


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